Episode 5
Yusuf do something ” a call came from the general to the soldier nearby where we were.
” She is bleeding ” James added”. Sir , please help us. She is an innocent girl ”
Yusuf bent forward to look at Cara’s wounds. He touched the enclave of the abdomen and his eyes glowed. It was just a splattered blood from the dead soldier at the center of the aisle and not Cara’s . We had fooled him and the foam in her mouth was whisky bubbles.. That too, he fell for. Before he could shout,I sent a silent slug into his chest .
” Urrggfff” Came Yusuf’s voice underneath his mask. He tried to grab his lazer- wizard gun.
” pipp” came another silent slug to his collar bone. His arms palaryzed.
Cara instantly pulled Yusuf’s 9mm gun. I capitalized the round with another bullet to his forehead.
He fell flat unto the floor and sporadic gun shots to the ceiling followed. His fingers had been on the trigger before he died.
” They killed him!! Shouted a soldier
I jumped behind offering boxes. They were layered three upon a row.From here I picked a target. I took the gun off from silent mode. My 9mm sounded weak against these MuDA army .42 lazer rifles.
I ducked down to an exclamation point from a soldier. For a second I thought I felt pain. I was sure it was just a stab in my gut from my nerves.Not as I first imagined, a bullet.
” Cheap shots” I said ” I can do better”
At impulse I popped my head up . A laser to the chest, then to the left arm’s blade , followed by killer blow to the head almost immediately. The soldier fell like a pack of cards.
I smiled, only to my own detriment. A stray bullet almost caught me on my way down the cover.
Cries and Screams. Women and Children , including men all escaping the church premises. They mobbed down the guard at the entrance and trampled upon his corpse.
Bullets flew from different angles.
I caught a glimpse of Cara. She racked down a line of soldiers with her new riffle.She had tossed the 9mm away afer the bullet finished.she slid on the floor and swiftly grabbed Yusuf’s gun only to turn and do the act of justice within seconds.
” Hmm! No wonder she is called Gun-smoke. She sure really do know how to smoke the hell outta gun” I said blankly.
She looked at me and said” Go on. I’ll cover you.”
I hesitated.” Eh? I never trusted anyone with my life. Talk more a lady and an NRRF spy for that matter. Are you kidding me. ? No way I’m letting my ass get whipped for trusting someone I just met.
” Go on. Now” She repeated.
Oh well. She might as well shoot at me if I disobey any longer.I scampered and came forward toward the front of the church. This time, scrouching behind chairs. Wooden chairs. Thank God they had covers benearth.
There goes another fool. I sighted a man and targeted his chest, left arm and pinpointed a slug to his forehead. Three sounds of pipp pipp pipp each and another duo of MUDA soldiers lay dead where they once stood.
General Abdul took cover behind the altar. Once or twice, he popped his head and cut down innocent civilians escaping through the doors.
His men assaulted my position.
The effects drove shock waves down my spine. I ducked.
**************
Cara cut down the five soldiers at a swipe. She reloaded and silenced the man who had been firing her cover.
She moved forward . Then came back momentarily ” Sir, you should get out of here ” She said to James whom she had been protecting all these while.
***********
Did you guys forget me. Jeez!! I guess not. I battled with my wits and these men sent from hell to torment me . I had brought down nine soldiers and my chest pumped adrenalin.
*****
” I’ll cover you.” Cara said to James” The country needs you ”
James scoured and scampered as he fled through the back door.
Abdul fixed at him but a shot from Nino’s point of view to his hideout saw the bullet boring a pillar. He had missed James while trying to duck.
****
With most of his men dead , Abdul fled through the back door. The one to the sanctuary . He zoomed back to pick something. He dropped the matchet on the floor as it would slow him down. The black bag casted a shadow as he fled with it.
” Cara! ” I shouted . “Cover me”
I would really love that now. My gold is running away with two legs.
She gave a nod and opened fire with the remaining soldiers.
I gave Abdul a chase. I was barely at the door when a sharp pain stinged my left arm. The pain was subtle and biting , blood escaped my veins.
In anguish , I revved out. I touched the spot where I had been shot.it was hot and painful.
One of those uncircumcised bastards had finally gotten me. Why complain? He who lives by the gun gets a lot of ugly scars.
5
I fell down. I sat behind the door and watched Abdul flee the corridor. His footsteps in the flooded tunnel gave blop blop sounds and his shadow casted on the walls of the tunnel.I summoned courage to continue the chase.
I struggled up . One hand clutched to my favorite 9mm, the catridge was left with one bullet.
“Fuck! ” my finger touched the spot. “Arrrhghhh”
Focus . Come on Nino. I tried to get up. The pain shot me right back to the floor again.No not now, come on Nino you can survive this. Die another day. I got up.
I tore a piece of my clothing. I princed the pin out of my arm. I poured whisky on the wound. I drank the rest and flung the bottle to a wall opposite. I tied my arm and limped to my feet.
I found myself following Abdul’s trail.
Voices of the NRRF soldiers came from within the Church. General Fast and his men had already arrived and in a single swipe, they ripped down the last of the MUDA militia.
I paused.I smiled. Yet I had to escape the National Forces too. They never liked a thief and I am one till I breathe my last. Don’t blame me. Life comes with many choices. I chose this path.
I dashed into the semi-lit tunnel and hoped for a final blow on Abdul. Just one bullet will do the trick, although I needed three.
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General Fast smiled when he silenced the groans from a terrorist. He took him out on the floor with a single bullet to the left eye.The victory was great but it came at a price. He had lost a lot of good men that day. Men he considered brothers and sisters.
” Clean up this mess” he told his commander.
He debriefed Cara on the events in the church before his arrival. He stared at the main pastor’s remains benearth the crucifix.
He did the sign of the cross and remembered his catholic days as a mass-server,it had been holy.
Your gold runing with two legs, I like that